


Family Confessions

by Warp5Complex_Archivist



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-04-02
Updated: 2006-04-02
Packaged: 2018-08-16 00:10:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8079295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warp5Complex_Archivist/pseuds/Warp5Complex_Archivist
Summary: A late-night chat between lovers reveals a secret. (10/27/2002)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

  
Author's notes: Spoilers, 1.05 "Unexpected," 1.12 "Silent Enemy."  
  
Comments: Blame/Praise goes to the maching_monkey Leah, who gave me this bunny in chat one night and then encouraged me to post it.  
  
Beta reader(s): maching_monkey  


* * *

"Did you ever think about having kids?" The question was out of the blue, or the black actually, as the room was dark with only the light of the streaking stars to illuminate objects and people. Porthos' light snores could be heard over the steady hum of the warp engine.

Jonathan Archer turned onto his side and looked at his lover. "Kids? Why? You want to get pregnant again?" he asked with a sly grin.

Trip Tucker shook his head. "Hell, no. But, you know, I'd like to have kids someday, and I didn't know what you thought about it if I did have one with someone else."

"Who would you have one with?" Jon was curious now. He knew Trip probably wanted to be able to pass on his name to a son, but he'd never actually said anything about it.

"Oh, I don't know. I thought Natalie might have been the one, but...well, you know how that turned out."

"Yeah. I'm sorry about that."

"Wasn't your fault, Jon. In a way, I'm kinda glad. She's probably happier and I know I am." He leaned up to kiss the older man. When they broke it off, Trip cocked his head. "So, did you ever think about it?"

"Actually...I have a daughter."

Trip stared at Jon. "You're kidding?"

Jon shook his head. "No, I have one. She's in her mid-twenties now."

Trip's mouth dropped. "You've gotta be kidding me. That meant you were, what, 19? 20? When she was born?"

"Twenty. Still at Stanford at the time."

"And her mother?"

"An exchange student from Japan. She went back after we graduated, and took our daughter with her. I was already planning on joining Starfleet and she had her own dreams."

"An' you just let your daughter go? Like that?" Trip couldn't believe it. This totally didn't fit with the Jonathan Archer he'd known for ten years. The man who never gave up on anyone.

"It was easier, Trip. Midori and I knew that getting married wouldn't be a good idea, and she had her family at home to help raise the baby. My dad was gone by then."

There was a note of regret in Jon's voice, like he truly regretted the choices he'd made over twenty years ago. Trip moved onto his side, facing Jon. He propped his head on his fist. "What's she like? Your daughter?"

"She was perfect, Trip. Black hair, brown eyes, a sweet smile. She always seemed to know when I was in the room—she'd stop crying and cheer up immediately."

Trip smiled at the wistful remembrance on the man's face. "She must have been something, being your daughter an' all."

"She was. Still is, actually. But more because she's her mother's daughter."

Trip chuckled. "Probably a bit of both."

"Yeah."

"Seen her recently?"

Jon hesitated, wondering how much he should tell his best friend, his lover. On one hand, Trip deserved the truth. They were lovers, and had been for a while. That would technically make Trip his daughter's step-father. On the other hand, he'd made a promise to Midori not to reveal his daughter's paternity. Starfleet knew of his daughter, and his daughter knew, but that was it.

"Actually, Trip, I saw her a few hours ago."

Trip smiled. "You keep in touch? That's great!"

Jon sighed with a slight smile. If you didn't know the truth, it was the likely explanation. "Actually, I saw her in Sickbay a few hours ago."

"She's on Enterprise? Jon, couldn't that be taken as nepotism? I mean, you handpicked this crew! What does she think about that?" Trip was worried.

"Trip, she got this job because she was the only qualified person for her position. I wouldn't have taken her on this mission if she wasn't. She knows that, too. We've talked about it since we left space dock. It's why the crew doesn't know. Starfleet does—they have to—but we didn't want others thinking she wasn't qualified."

Trip's mind was already working. Japanese mother, young woman in her twenties, on Enterprise, only qualified..."Hoshi?"

Jon nodded sheepishly. "Yeah."

Trip stared. "Hoshi Sato? Ensign Sato, the communications officer?"

"Yes, Trip, that Hoshi."

"You're kidding!"

"No, I'm not."

"I never would have guessed."

"Not a lot of people would. She looks like Midori so much. But she is my daughter; we have the tests to prove it. Starfleet required them."

"Wait, if she's your daughter, and I'm...oh this is too freaky."

Jon laughed. "Yeah, that could make you her stepfather."

Trip shook his head. "Sorry, Jon, I just can't see that."

"Somehow, I don't think Hoshi would want to see that either. No offense, but she's already uptight about me being her father and her captain."

"I won't say anything, Jon, unless she brings it...well, that explains it." Trip looked beyond Jon's shoulder into nothing.

"Explains what?"

Trip blushed. "I don't want to get her into trouble."

"You won't."

Trip just looked at him, that adorable look that said, "I don't believe you but you're going to convince me anyway, aren't you?"

"I promise, Trip."

"Well..." he drew out the word. "Back when we first started gettin' together, she an' I were having dinner one night in the mess, and she mentioned somethin' about the two of us and that it would be a shame if you got hurt by me, since she'd gotten so much better with a phase pistol."

Jon stared. "She didn't!"

"Yup, she did."

"I don't believe it. She hasn't said a word to me."

"Jon—you said it yourself. You're her captain and her father. That's a double whammy, you know. Anyway, she's worried about _you_ , so she wouldn't say anything about it to you."

Jon looked pleased. "I never knew. We never really, well, talked about this."

Trip shrugged. "Maybe you should. Invite her to dinner some night, just you and her and make sure she knows it's not a Captain-Ensign thing, but a father/daughter thing."

"You know, you're taking this awfully well."

"Hey, I like Hoshi. I love you. This is just icing on the cake."

"I don't deserve you."

"Maybe not." Trip kissed him again. "But you can try to convince me that you do."


End file.
